Cording reel device

ABSTRACT

A cording reel device for winding up a cording of an electronic appliance from a section thereof intermediate its opposite ends. A first constraint plate is divided to define a cording insertion slot, with two divided halves of the plate being integrally connected together by a connecting portion. Coupling shaft segments are engaged with a circular hole in a second constraint plate to couple together the two constraint plates for relative rotation. Reel shaft segments outstand from the first constraint plate outside of the coupling shaft segments. An annular frame member is interposed between and along the outer peripheries of the constraint plates and affixed integrally to the second constraint plate. The frame member is formed with opposed inlet/outlets. In use, with the opposite ends of the insertion slot aligned with the inlet/outlets, an intermediate section of a cording is threaded through the slot between the opposed inlet/outlets, and then relative rotation of the constraint plates will reel in the cording section.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a cording reel device for extendibly windingup a cording including power cords, signalling cords and ear phone cordsof various electronic appliances for home and office uses such astelephones, stereo sets, television sets, tape recorders, wordprocessors, personal computers and the like as well as a cordingincluding strings and cords as used with various pieces of equipmentother than electric appliances.

BACKGROUND ART

The cording attached to various electronic appliances has heretoforebeen relatively overlong for the purpose of enhancing the freedom inlocating the appliances. When users purchase a cording for their own useas well, they generally tend to buy an overlong cording so that thelocation of installation of the appliance may be changed later.Consequently, in the condition where electronic appliances are actuallyinstalled and used, the floor is flooded with extra lengths of thecording, which may possibly be caught by a man's foot, may interferewith cleaning the floor and are not nice to look at. In addition, wherea plurality of electronic appliances are installed closely to eachother, the associated cords were sometimes entangled with each other. Inview of this, excessive lengths of cording have heretofore been puttogether and tied with a string.However, such operation is rathercumbersome, and especially in case the locations of the electronicappliances are relatively frequently changed for use, it is troublesometo bundle and tie and untie each time. At any rate, excessive lengths ofcording are unsightly even though they are tied together.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cording reel device whichovercomes the foregoing problems.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cording reel devicewhich is easy to operate.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a cording reeldevice which is simple in construction and requires fewer componentparts, and which is easy to manufacture and hence may be produced at lowcosts.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, a first constraint plateis divided by a cording insertion slot into two halves which areintegrally connected together by a connecting portion of U-shaped crosssection. A pair of reel shaft segments are attached integrally to thefirst constraint plate on opposite sides of the connecting portion. Asecond constraint plate is coupled in opposed facing relation with thefirst constraint plate such that they may be relatively rotated aboutthe reel shaft segments. An annular frame member is interposed betweenand generally along the outer peripheries of the first and secondconstraint plates and affixed integrally to the outer periphery of oneof the constraint plates. The annular frame member is formed with firstand second inlet/outlets for introducing and withdrawing a cording onopposite sides of the connecting portion.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a pair of opposedcoupling shaft segments are provided to extend up from the interiorsurface of a first constraint plate at its center. A pair of reel shaftsegments extend up from the interior surface of the first constraintplate outside of the coupling shaft segments, respectively. A secondconstraint plate is removably and rotatably coupled at its centralportion with the free ends of the pair of coupling shaft segments. Anannular frame member is interposed between and generally along the outerperipheries of the first and second constraint plates and affixedintegrally to the outer periphery of one of the constraint plates. Theannular frame member is formed with first and second inlet/outlets forintroducing and withdrawing a cording on opposite sides of the couplingshaft segments.

In either of the first and second aspects of the invention, the firstinlet/outlet is formed as spanning the first and second constraintplates while the second inlet/outlet is formed as extending from one ofthe two constraint plates to approximately the midpoint of the spacingbetween the two constraint plates. Further, the first inlet/outlet isformed with guide surfaces for guiding a cording from that one of thetwo constraint plates to which the second inlet/outlet is adjoining tothe other of constraint plates.

In the first aspect of the invention, the coupling shaft segments areoutstanding integrally from the interior surface of the first constraintplate between the connecting portion and the corresponding reel shaftsegments, and the second constraint plate is rotatably engaged with theends of these coupling shaft segments. In the first and second aspectsof the invention having such coupling shaft segments, the coupling shaftsegments are formed on the outer surfaces of their free ends with pawlsconfigured to couple with the outer surfaces of the periphery of acentral circular hole in the second constraint plate with the axial endface of the annular frame member in opposing contact with the interiorsurface of the constraint plate to which the annular frame member is notjoined such that the first and second constraint plates are rotatablyengaged with each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an embodiment of the first aspect ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view seen from the right side of the drawing of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view seen from the back side of the drawing of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a rear view illustrating a portion including the firstconstraint plate 11 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B--B in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating a portion including the secondconstraint plate 12 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B--B in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11A is a right side view illustrating a portion in the vicinity ofthe inlet/outlet 31 in FIG. 8;

Fig. 11B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG.11A;

FIG. 12A is a plan view illustrating a cording and the cording beingloaded in the first embodiment;

FIG. 12B is a front view of the drawing of FIG. 12A;

FIGS. 12C-12F are plan views sequentially illustrating the manner inwhich the cording is wound up from the state of FIG. 12A as the firstconstraint plate is rotated;

FIG. 12G is a front view of the drawing of FIG. 12F;

FIG. 13 is a front view illustrating an embodiment of the second aspectof the invention;

FIG. 14 is a side view seen from the right side of the drawing of FIG.13;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a rear view illustrating a portion including the firstconstraint plate 11 in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 17 is a front view illustrating another form of the portionincluding the second constraint plate 12.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the first aspect of the invention is shown in FIGS.1-3. A first disc-like constraint plate 11 and an opposed seconddisc-like constraint plate 12 are engaged with each other for relativerotation. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the first constraint plate 11 isdivided by a cording insertion slot 13 extending along the center linethereof into two plate sections 11a and lib which are integrallyconnected together by a connecting portion 14 of U-shaped cross section.More specifically, the end faces of the opposed legs of the U-shape ofthe connecting portion 14 are connected integrally with the interiorsurfaces of the plate sections 11a and 1b near the midpoint of therespective edges defining the cording insertion slot 13. It is thus seenthat the bight portion between the opposed legs of the U-shape of theconnecting portion 14 form a portion of the cording insertion slot 13.Coupling shaft segments 15a and 15b protrude up integrally from theplate sections 11a and 11b, respectively on opposite sides of andadjacent to the connecting portion 14. These coupling shaft segments 15aand 15b are located at equal distances from the center of axis of thefirst constraint plate 11. As shown in FIG. 4, the second constraintplate 12 is formed at its center with a circular hole 16. It is seen inFIGS. 2 and 4 that pawls 17a, 17b projecting integrally from the outsidesurfaces at the free ends of the coupling shaft segments 15a, 15b areadapted to engage with the outer surfaces of the periphery of thecircular hole 16. The opposite ends 14a, 14b of the connecting portion14 longitudinally of the cording insertion slot 13 are configured toform a part of a cylindrical surface in sliding contact with the innerperipheral surface of the circular hole 16. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9,that portion of the second constraint plate 12 through which thecircular hole 16 is formed has a recess 20 indented from the exteriorsurface of the second constraint plate 12 such that the outer ends ofthe coupling shaft segments 15a, 15b do not extend out beyond theexterior surface of the second constraint plate 12. Defined between thepawls 17a, 17b of the coupling shaft segments 15a, 15b and theperipheral wall of the recess 20 are spaces for allowing one to graspthe pawls 17a, 17b between the user's finger tips to move them towardeach other.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an annular frame member 18 is interposedbetween and along the outer peripheries of the first and secondconstraint plates 11, 12 and is formed integrally with the secondconstraint plate 12 in this example. The interior surface around theouter periphery of the first constraint plate 11 is in opposing contactwith the axial end face of the annular frame member 18. The first andsecond constraint plates 11, 12 are rotatably engaged with each other bythis opposing contact as well as the engagement of the pawls 17a, 17bwith the periphery of the circular hole 16. The connecting portion 14serves also as a rotary shaft in this example. It is seen that thediameter of the first constraint plate 11 is rendered slightly smallerthan the outer the diameter of the annular frame member 18. The end faceof the annular frame member 18 is formed around its outer peripheryintegrally with a circular rim 19 such that the outer peripheral surfaceof the first constraint plate 11 is in sliding contact with the innerperipheral surface of the circular rim 19, which also acts to preventthe first and second constraint plates 11 and 12 from beingdiametrically offset with respect to the center of axis. As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, the outer peripheral surfaces of the coupling shaftsegments 15a, 15b are configured to form a part of a cylindrical surfaceconcentric with the center of axis of the first constraint plate 11.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, reel shaft segments 21a, 21b extend upintegrally from the interior surface of the first constraint plate 11outside of the coupling shaft segments 15a and 15b, respectively. Thesereel shaft segments 21a, 21b are adapted to wrap a cording about theaxis of those shaft segments. To that end, the outer peripheral surfacesof the reel shaft segments 21a, 21b have substantially cylindricalportions 22a, 22b lying on a cylindrical surface concentric with thecenter of axis of the first constraint plate 11. One ends of thesubstantially cylindrical portions 22a, 22b of the outer peripheralsurfaces circumferentially opposite from each other terminate at thecording insertion slot 13 while the other ends of the substantiallycylindrical portions 22a, 22b join the gently curved surfaces 23a, 23bwhich extend through an arc with as large a radius as possible from thepoint of intersection between the diametrically opposite ends 14a, 14bof the connecting portion 14 and the cording insertion slot 13 andsmoothly continue into the substantially cylindrical portions 22a, 22b.That is, the curved surfaces 23a, 23b have a gentler degree of bend orcurvature as compared to the angle formed between the reel shaftsegments 21a, 21b and the cording insertion slot 13 where thecircumferential end faces of the reel shaft segments 21a, 21b adjoin thecording insertion slot 13 so that a cording may be gently wrapped aroundthe reel shaft segments 21a, 21b.

As described above, that portion of the second constraint plate 12through which the circular hole 16 is formed has the recess 20 slightlyindented from the exterior surface of the second constraint plate 12. Toform the recess 20, a circular boss 24 is formed integrally with theinterior surface of the second constraint plate 12 in the center thereofas shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9. The inner peripheral surfaces of the reelshaft segments 21a, 21b are engaged in sliding contact with the outerperipheral surface of the circular boss 24, whereby these two also serveas a shaft and a bearing for relative rotation of the first constraintplate 11 and the second constraint plate 12. It is also seen in FIG. 2that while the substantially cylidrical portions of the axial end facesof the reel shaft segments 21a, 21b are engaged in sliding contact withthe interior surface of the second constraint plate 12, the axial endfaces of the gently curved surfaces 23a, 23b of the reel shaft segments21a, 21b project from the first constraint plate 11 to a less extent sothan those of the rest of the shaft segments so as not to be interferedwith by the circular boss 24 as shown in FIG. 7. Further, the reel shaftsegments 21a, 21b are connected at the ends circumferentially oppositefrom the gently curved surfaces 23a, 23b integrally with the connectingportion 14 by reinforcing portions 25a, 25b having the same height asthe curved surfaces 23a, 23b so that they are also integrated with thefirst constraint plate 11, whereby the reel shaft segments 21a, 21bcooperate with the corresponding legs of the connecting portion 14 andthe reinforcing portions 25a, 25b to define generally semi-cylindricalbodies, respectively to thereby increase mechanical strength.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, turning tabs 27a, 27b project integrally fromthe exterior surfaces of the respective plate sections 11a, 11b of thefirst constraint plate 11 so as to extend radially with respect to thecenter of the constraint plate. In this example, the turning tabs 27a,27b lie on a line intersecting generally orthogonally with the cordinginsertion slot 13. As shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 8-10, the annular framemember 18 is formed with cording inlet/outlets 31, 32 on opposite sidesof the center of the annular frame member 18. While the inlet/outlets31, 32 both extend axially from one end face of the frame member, oneinlet/outlet 31 is formed in the shape of a channel reaching the secondconstraint plate 12 as shown in FIG. 10 whereas the other inlet/outlet32 terminates approximately at the midpoint of the width of the annularframe member 18 as shown in FIG. 9. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 8, theseinlet/outlets 31, 32 have integral guide portions 33, 34, respectivelyextending radially outwardly therefrom. With the opposite ends of thecording insertion slot 13 placed in communication with the inlet/outlets31, 32 as shown in FIG. 1, one guide surface 35 of the guide surfacesdefining the guide portion 33 has one half section 35a toward the secondconstraint plate 12 slanted with respect to the direction of extensionof the cording insertion slot 13 so as to widen the inlet/outlet whereasthe other half section 35b of the guide surface 35 remote from thesecond constraint plate 12 is slanted so as to narrow the inlet/outletas it approaches the first constraint plate 11 widthwise of the annularframe member 18 while at the same time it is slanted with respect to thedirection of extension of the cording insertion slot 13 like the halfsection 35a, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 8, 11A and 11B. As shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, the other guide surface 36 has one half section 36atoward the second constraint plate 12 aligned in line with the directionof extension of the cording insertion slot 13 whereas the other halfsection 36b of the guide surface 36 remote from the second constraintplate 12 is slanted so as to go away from the guide surface 35 as itapproaches the second constraint plate 12 widthwise of the annular framemember 18. When the cording to be reeled in is in the form of a ribbon,the lengths L₁, L₁ and L₂, L₂ of the guide surface half sections 35a,35b and 36a, 36b as measured widthwise of the annular frame member 18are made slightly greater than the width W₁ of the cording 38 while thespacing D₁ between the guide surfaces 35 and 36 of the inlet/outlet 31defined by the guide portion 33 is less than the width W₁ of the cording38 and greater than the thickness T₁ of the cording. The spacing D₂between the first and second constraint plates 11, 12 is equal to L₁+L₂.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 9, the other guide portion 34 comprises guidesurfaces 41, 42 adapted to guide the cording 38. One guide surface 41has a radially inner section extending parallel to the direction ofextension of the cording insertion slot 13 and a radially outer sectionso curved as to widen the guide portion 34, hence the inlet/outlet 32.The other guide surface 42 is slanted so as to go away from thedirection of extension of the cording insertion slot 13 as it extendsradially inwardly from its outer projecting end. The distance D₃ fromthe second constraint plate 12 to the inlet/outlet 32, hence the guideportion 34 is about equal to the width W₁ of the cording 38. The minimumspacing D₄ between the guide surfaces 41 and 42 is less than the widthW₁ of the cording 38 and greater than the thickness T₁ of the cording.It is to be noted that the guiding directions of the guide portions 33,34 are related with the reel shaft segments 21a, 21b such that with theopposite ends of the cording insertion slot 13 aligned with, that is,placed in communication with the inlet/outlets 31, 32, the curvedsurface 23a of the reel shaft segment 21a is closer to the guide surface35 than to the guide surface 36 when the curved surface 23a ispositioned toward the inlet/outlet 31, and the curved surface 23a iscloser to the guide surface 41 than to the guide surface 42 when thecurved surface 23a is positioned toward the inlet/outlet 32.

The exterior surface of the first constraint plate 11 is marked witharrows 43 for indicating the direction of rotation in which to rotatethe first constraint plate 11. This direction of rotation is thedirection in which the curved surface 23a of the reel shaft segment 21ais moved toward that end of the reel shaft segment 21b opposite from thecurved surface 23b, which is the direction along the guiding directionof the guide portions 33, 34. As illustrated in FIGS. 5-7, the interiorsurface of the first constraint plate 11 at the opposite ends of thecording insertion slot 13 on the side of the corresponding curvedsurfaces 23a and 23b of the reel shaft segments 21a and 21b are slightlybevelled to form tapered surfaces 44a and 44b. An extension in the formof a tongue extends from the second constraint plate 12 in a plane ofthat plate to define a hanger lug 45 having a hole. It should beunderstood that the formation as shown in FIGS. 5-7 may be made as amonolithic molded part of synthetic resin. Likewise, the formation asshown in FIGS. 8-11 may be made as a monolithic molded part of syntheticresin.

When it is desired to reel up a cording 38 such as a telephone modularcord into the reel device as described herein above, while holding theannular frame member 18 by one hand, the user rotates the turning tabs27a, 27b by the other hand until the opposite ends of the cordinginsertion slot 13 are brought into alignment with the inlet/outlets 31,32 as shown in FIG. 12A whereupon the telephone modular cord 38 isinserted into the cording insertion slot 13 such that the midpoint 47 ofthat portion 38a of the cord 38 that is desired to be reeled incoincides with the midpoint of the cording insertion slot 13. At thistime, as illustrated in FIG. 12B, the cord 38 is generally in contactwith the second constraint plate 12 on the side of inlet/outlet 31 whileit lies on the interior surface of the first constraint plate 11 on theside of inlet/outlet 32.

Then, as the first constraint plate 11 is rotated by the use of theturning tabs 27a, 27b relative to the second constraint plate 12, thesections of the portion 47 being reeled in of the cord 38 on theopposite sides of the midpoint 47 are wrapped around the reel shaftsegments 21a and 21b starting with the respective curved surfaces 23aand 23b as illustrated in FIGS. 12C and 12D. Once the rotation of thefirst constraint plate 11 has exceeded about one half (180°), theopposite sections of the cord 38 are wrapped around the reel shaftsegments 21a, 21b with those segments as an axis of rotation as shown inFIGS. 12E and 12F. It is to be appreciated that the section of the cordon the side of inlet/outlet 31 is wound up on the side of firstconstraint plate 11 while the section of the cord on the side ofinlet/outlet 32 is wound up on the side of second constraint plate 12,that is, automatically in two layers of the cord, as illustrated in FIG.12G.

When it is desired to withdraw the cord 38, the opposite sections of thecord protruding out of the inlet/outlets 31 and 32, respectively mayonly need be pulled away from each other. In reeling in and reeling outthe cord 38 as described above, the cord 38 is prevented from being bentat a sharp angle by the presence of the curved surfaces 23a, 23b andconsequently will be hardly subject to deterioration even after repeatedreeling-in and reeling-out operations, and the guide portions 33, 34provide for smooth reeling-in and reeling-out as they guide the cord inthe reeling-in and reeling-out directions. In addition, during thereeling-in operation, the cord 38 on the side of inlet/outlet 31 isguided toward the second constraint plate 12 by the slanted surfaces35b, 36b of the guide portion 33 while the cord on the side ofinlet/outlet 32 is guided toward the first constraint plate 11 due tothe inlet/outlet 32 being spaced apart from the second constraint plate12, resulting in the cord being wound up in two layers, one adjacent thesecond constraint plate 12 and the other adjacent the first constraintplate 11. This allows for reeling in the cord more closely. Although thetelephone modular cord is in the form of a ribbon, both the minimumspacing D₁ between the guide surfaces 35a and 36a and the minimumspacing D₄ between the guide surfaces 41 and 42 are less than the widthW₁ of such cord and greater than the thickness T₁ of the cord, wherebythe cord 38 is necessarily reeled up in two layers stacked widthwise oneover another without being folded on itself. If the tapered surfaces44a, 44b are formed on the first constraint plate 11 at the oppositeends of the cording insertion slot 13, they will prevent the cord 38from being deviated toward the exterior surface of the first constraintplate 11 and aid in reeling the cord inwardly.

In the example described above in which the first and second constraintplates 11, 12 are rotatably coupled together by the use of the couplingshaft segments 15a, 15b, the first and second constraint plates 11, 12may be separated by resiliently deforming the ends of the coupling shaftsegments 15a, 15b, toward each other out of engagement with theperiphery of the circular hole 16. It is to be understood, however, thatthe means for coupling the first and second constraint plates 11, 12 forrelative rotation need not necessarily be limited to the coupling shaftsegments 15a, 15b and that the first and second constraint plates neednot necessarily be separably coupled. By way of example, the first andsecond constraint plates 11, 12 may be rotatably coupled together bymeans of the annular frame member 18.

An embodiment of the second aspect of the invention will now bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 13-16 in which those componentscorresponding to those in Figs. 1-11 are indicated by the like referencenumerals. In this second aspect of the invention, a first constraintplate 11 and a second constraint plate 12 are separable from each otherand relatively rotatable To this end, the coupling of the coupling shaftsegments 15a, 15b with the periphery of the circular hole 16 is effectedin the same manner as in the embodiment of the first aspect of theinvention. This second aspect of the invention is different from thefirst aspect of the invention in that the first constraint plate 11 isnot formed with a cording insertion slot 13, and hence it is not dividedinto two plate sections with the connecting portion 14 omitted. Instead,a cording insertion means 51 is provided between the reel shaft segments21a and 21b. In this embodiment, the opposite circumferential ends ofthe reel shaft segments 21a and 21b are connected together by respectivereinforcing portions 52a, 52b so as to define generally semi-cylindricalconfigurations, respectively. These reinforcing portions 52a, 52b areintegrated with the first constraint plate 11 and have such a height asnot to be interfered with by the circular boss 24. The reinforcingportions 52a, 52b are parallel to each other and define the cordinginsertion means 51 therebetween. Turning tabs 27a, 27b are provided onthe exterior surface of the first constraint plate 11 so as to liegenerally on the central line of the cording insertion means 51. Thisembodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-11 except for theforegoing Thus, the second constraint plate 12 and the annular framemember 18 are entirely the same in configuration as those illustrated inFIGS. 8-10.

When it is desired to wind up a cording 38 into the reel deviceaccording to the embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, theuser separates the first constraint plate 11 from the second constraintplate 12 by disengaging the pawls 17a, 17b from the circular hole 16.The user then places the cording 38 in the cording insertion means 51 asshown by dotted lines in FIG. 16. If the cording is similar to theexample illustrated in FIG. 12, the user positions the midpoint 47 ofthe cording in the cording insertion means 51. Then, the firstconstraint plate 11 and the second constraint plate 12 are coupledtogether by resiliently deforming and pushing the axial end portions ofthe coupling shaft segments 15a, 15b into the circular hole 16. At thistime those sections of the cording 38 on the opposite sides of thecording insertion means 51 are positioned in the inlet/outlets 31 and32, respectively with the section of the cording 38 contacting thesecond constraint plate 12 on the side of inlet/outlet 31. In thisstate, as with the previously described embodiment, if the firstconstraint plate 11 is rotated relative to the second constraint plate12 in the direction shown by the arrows 43, the opposite sections of thecording 38 are wrapped around the reel shaft segments 21a, 21b in twolayers stacked one over the other.

In order to facilitate the engagement of the pawls 17a, 17b with thecircular hole 16, the outer surfaces of the pawls 17a, 17b are taperedsuch that during the coupling operation, forcing the first constraintplate 11 toward the second constraint plate 12 with the tapered surfacesin contact with the peripheral edge of the circular hole 16 willresiliently deform the coupling shaft segments 15a, 15b to easily permitthe coupling. In this embodiment, if the turning tabs 27a, 27b arelocated such that their direction of extension is in alignment with theinlet/outlets 31, 32, the direction of extension of the cordinginsertion means 51 will be in coincidence with the line connecting theinlet/outlets 31 and 32, whereby the opposite sections of the cording 38may be easily positioned in the inlet/outlets 31 and 32, respectively.The provision of the reinforcing portions 52a, 52b, if they areprovided, will not only increase the mechanical strength of the reelshaft segments 21a, 21b, but also serve to prevent the possibility ofthe coupling shaft segments 15a, 15b being broken when the pawls 17a,17b are moved toward each other by the user's finger tips to disconnectthe first constraint plate 11 from the second constraint plate 12 sincethe reinforcing portions 52a, 52b act to as stop means to limitexcessive displacement of the pawls 17a, 17b. Moving the pawls 17a and17b toward each other to an excessive extent would possibly break thecoupling shaft segments 15a, 15b.

For use with a relatively stiff cording 38, it is advantageous forfacilitating the reeling-in of the cording that the guide portions 33and 34 at the inlet/outlets 31 and 32, respectively be configured so asto take in the cording along the inner peripheral surface of the annularframe member 18 in the direction of reeling the cording around the reelshaft segments 21a, 21b (not shown), as illustrated by dotted lines inFIG. 17, for example. Alternatively, as illustrated by dotted lines inFIG. 8, additional inlet/outlets 31' and 32' and associated guideportions 33' and 34' may be added so that the inlet/outlets 31, 32 andthe inlet/outlets 31', 32' may be selectively used depending upon thethickness of cording 38. The first and/or second constraint plates 11,12 may be formed with heat dissipation holes, if required. The annularframe member 18 may be formed integrally with the first constraint plate11 instead of the second constraint plate. For use with a relativelypliable cording, the guide portion 33 alone may be provided to allow forreeling in the cording in two layers stacked one on the other, with theother guide portions 34 eliminated, and each of the reel shaft segments21a and 21b may be entirely in the form of a part of a cylinder with thecurved surfaces 23a, 23b eliminated. If it is not required to reel up acording densely, the means for providing for winding the cording in twolayers may also be omitted. In other words, the inlet/outlets 31 and 34may be of the same shape. In order to increase the mechanical strengthof the coupling shaft segments 15a, 15b, it is desirable to have theirouter peripheries lie on the same cylindrical surface generally aligningwith the peripheral surface of the circular hole.

As discussed above, this invention is applicable to a cording such astelephone modular cords, ear phone cords, power cords for variouselectronic appliances, cables made up of a bundle of signalling cordsand power lines, and other lines, strings and the like unconnected withelectric appliances, and allows for reeling up a portion of such cordingintermediate between its opposite ends into the reel device of thisinvention in an extremely simple operation, whereby the cording may beshortened to a minimum required in length with no surplus length of thecording extending around, and yet the reeled-in cording may be easily bereeled out or removed as required.

Especially, it should be noted that the two-layer winding is realized topermit a ribbon-like cording to be reeled up highly densely by providingtwo diametrically opposed inlet/outlets having different lengths asmeasured axially of the reel device.

The device according to any aspect of this invention may be fabricatedby assembling two parts both of which may be made as molded parts ofresin at an extremely low cost.

I claim:
 1. A cording reel device comprising:a first constraint platedivided by a cording insertion slot into two substantially equal halveswhich are integrally connected together by a connecting portion ofU-shaped cross section, a pair of reel shaft segments attachedintegrally to the interior surface of said first constraint plate onopposite sides of said connecting portion, a second constraint platecoupled in opposed facing relation with the first constraint plate forrelative rotation about said connecting portion, and an annular framemember interposed between and generally along outer peripheries of saidfirst and second constraint plates and affixed integrally to one of saidconstraint plates, said annular frame member being formed with first andsecond inlet/outlets on opposite sides of said connecting portion forintroducing and withdrawing a cording therethrough into and out of saiddevice, said first inlet/outlet being formed as spanning said first andsecond constraint plates, and said second inlet/outlet being formed asextending from the other of said constraint plates to which said annularframe member is not affixed to approximately the midpoint of the spacingbetween said first and second constraint plates.
 2. A cording reeldevice comprising:a first constraint plate, a pair of opposed couplingshaft segments having their one ends connected integrally with andextending up from the interior surface of said first constraint plate atits central portion, a pair of reel shaft segments having their one endsconnected integrally with the interior surface of said first constraintplate outside of the respective coupling shaft segments, a secondconstraint plate disposed in opposed relation with said first constraintplate and detachably and rotatably coupled with the other ends of saidpair of coupling shaft segments, and an annular frame member interposedbetween and generally along the outer peripheries of said first andsecond constraint plates and affixed integrally to one of the constraintplates, said annular frame member being formed with first and secondinlet/outlets for introducing and withdrawing a cording into and out ofsaid device on opposite sides of said coupling shaft segments.
 3. Thecording reel device according to claim 2, wherein said firstinlet/outlet is formed as spanning said first and second constraintplates while said second inlet/outlet is formed as extending from theother of said constraint plates to which said annular frame member isnot affixed to approximately the midpoint of the spacing between saidfirst and second constraint plates.
 4. The cording reel device accordingto claim 1 or 3, wherein said first inlet/outlet is formed with guidesurfaces for guiding a cording from that one of said constraint platesto which the second inlet/outlet is adjoining to the other of saidconstraint plates.
 5. The cording reel device according to claim 4,wherein said first and second inlet/outlets are formed with inner guidesurfaces adapted to guide a cording in the same direction of windinggenerally about the center of relative rotation of said first and secondconstraint plates.
 6. The cording reel device according to claim 5,wherein said first and second inlet/outlets have respective integralguide extensions in communication therewith and extending outwardlytherefrom for guiding the introduction and withdrawal of the cordinginto and out of said device.
 7. The cording reel device according toclaim 4, further comprising at least one turning tab for use to effectrelative rotation of said first and second constraint plates, said atleast one turning tab being integrally with the exterior surface of theconstraint plate to which said annular frame member is not affixed. 8.The cording reel device according to claim 7, wherein said turning tabextends radially with respect to the center of said relative rotationand coincides generally with a straight line passing through the middlebetween said coupling shaft segments.
 9. The cording reel deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein the minimum passage width of said firstand second inlet/outlets is smaller than one half of the spacing betweensaid first and second constraint plates.
 10. The cording reel deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein said annular frame member is formedintegrally with said second constraint plate.
 11. A cording reel devicecomprising:a first constraint plate divided by a cording insertion slotinto two substantially equal halves which are integrally connectedtogether by a connecting portion of U-shaped cross section, a pair ofreel shaft segments attached integrally to the interior surface of saidfirst constraint plate on opposite sides of said connecting portion asecond constraint plate coupled in opposed facing relation with thefirst constraint plate for relative rotation about said connectingportion, an annular frame member interposed between and generally alongouter peripheries of said first and second constraint plates and affixedintegrally to one of said constraint plates, said annular frame memberbeing formed with first and second inlet/outlets on opposite sides ofsaid connecting portion for introducing and withdrawing a cordingtherethrough into and out of said device, and a pair of coupling shaftsegments extending up integrally from the interior surface of said firstconstraint plate between said connecting portion and the correspondingreel shaft segments, said second constraint plate being engaged withsaid coupling shaft segments for rotation about said coupling shaftsegments.
 12. The cording reel device according to claim 2 or 11,wherein said second constraint plate is formed with a central circularhole, said coupling shaft segments having integral pawls formed on theouter surfaces of their free ends, said pawls being configured to engagewith the outer surfaces of the peripheral edge of said circular holewhereby said first and second constraint plates are rotatably engagedwith each other, with the axial end face of said annular frame member inopposing contact with the interior surface of the constraint plate towhich the annular frame member is not joined, said coupling shaftsegments being deflectable to such an extent as to be able to be movedout of engagement with the peripheral edge of said circular hole. 13.The cording reel device according to claim 12, wherein the outerperipheral surfaces of said pair of reel shaft segments generally lie onthe same cylindrical surface concentric with the center of relativerotation of said first and second constraint plates, said cordinginsertion slot being located between the opposed circumferential ends ofsaid reel shaft segments.
 14. The cording reel device according to claim13, wherein one end portions of said pair of reel shaft segments whichare not circumferentially opposed to each other have a degree of bendrelative to said cording insertion slot that is less than the degree ofbend of the other end portions of said reel shaft segments.
 15. Thecording reel device according to claim 14, wherein the exterior surfaceof the constraint plate to which said annular frame member is notaffixed is marked with arrows for indicating the direction of rotationin which to rotate said first constraint plate so that the one endportion of one of said pair of reel shaft segments having the lesserdegree of bend is moved away from the other end portion of the otheropposing reel shaft segment.
 16. The cording reel device according toclaim 14, wherein the opposite ends circumferential of each of said reelshaft segments are connected together by a reinforcing portion so as todefine generally a semi-cylindrical configuration, the respectivereinforcing portions of said reel shaft segments being integrated withsaid first constraint plate.
 17. The cording reel device according toclaim 13, wherein the axial end faces of said reel shaft segments are insliding contact with said second constraint plate.
 18. The cording reeldevice according to claim 13, further comprising a circular bossintegrally formed with the interior surface of said second constraintplate, and wherein the inner peripheral surfaces of said two reel shaftsegments generally lie on the same cylindrical surface concentric withthe center of said relative rotation, the inner peripheral surfaces ofsaid two reel shaft segments being adapted to slidably contact the outerperipheral surface of said circular boss.
 19. The cording reel deviceaccording to claim 18, wherein said circular boss is defined byindenting that portion of said second constraint plate through whichsaid circular hole is formed from the exterior surface of the secondconstraint plate to form an indented recess in said exterior surface,said two pawls being positioned in said indented recess.
 20. The cordingreel device according to claim 12, further comprising stop meansdisposed on the opposed inner sides of said two coupling shaft segmentsfor limiting movement of the coupling shaft segments toward each other,said stop means being formed integrally with the interior surface ofsaid first constraint plate.
 21. The cording reel device according toclaim 11, wherein said coupling shaft segments have pawls affixed to theouter surfaces of their free ends, said pawls being configured to engagewith the outer surfaces of the peripheral edge of a circular hole formedin said second constraint plate, the projecting end of said connectingportion being positioned in said circular hole, and the opposite ends ofsaid connecting portion longitudinal of said cording insertion slotbeing in sliding contact with the peripheral surface of said circularhole.
 22. A cording reel device comprising:a first constraint platedivided by a cording insertion slot into two substantially equal halveswhich are integrally connected together by a connecting portion ofU-shaped cross section, a pair of reel shaft segments attachedintegrally to the interior surface of said first constraint plate onopposite sides of said connecting portion, a second constraint platecoupled in opposed facing relation with the first constraint plate forrelative rotation about said connecting portion, and an annular framemember interposed between and generally along outer peripheries of saidfirst and second constraint plates and affixed integrally to one of saidconstraint plates, said annular frame member being formed with first andsecond inlet/outlets on opposite sides of said connecting portion forintroducing and withdrawing a cording therethrough into and out of saiddevice the exterior surface of said first constraint plate being markedwith arrows for indicating the direction of rotation, and the interiorsurface of said first constraint plate being bevelled at the oppositeends of said cording insertion slot on the side opposite from saiddirection of rotation to form tapered surfaces.